Major Matina Jewell
(Retired) CSP
Life-changing perspective from the front line of leadership, resilience and change.
Major Matina Jewell
(Retired) CSP
Life-changing perspective from the front line of leadership, resilience and change.
Bio
Major Matina Jewell (Retired) CSP is an inspirational trailblazer, helping leaders build resilient teams to thrive through change.
Named in the ‘AFR 100 Women of Influence 2018’, Matina is also a Telstra Business Awards Finalist and was named a CPA Australia ‘Top-10 Smart Thinker’.
Among her honorary roles, Matina is a founding ambassador for Project Thankful, a movement partnered with the United Nations to help empower women and children globally.
A bark portrait painting of Matina was entered for the 2019 Archibald Prize, and her incredible life story has been optioned for a global feature film.
Military Trailblazer & Peacekeeper
Major Matina Jewell (Retired) CSP grew up in the hinterland of Byron Bay and joined the Army at age 17. During her 15-year military career, Matina:
- Served on five missions and earned eight war medals
- Became the only Australian to receive two Republic of Lebanon war medals for acts of bravery on the battlefield and wounded in combat
- Was appointed Officer in Command of the Army Department and Diving Officer for HMAS Kanimbla, then Australia’s largest Navy ship, at only 23 years old
- Was the first woman in the Australian Army to complete the physically demanding "Navy Ship's Diver" course
- Worked with the elite SAS and American Navy SEALS
- Tracked down militia leaders in the Solomon Islands
- Fast-roped from helicopters
- Boarded smuggler ships in the Arabian Gulf
- Trained in three languages (Bahasa Indonesian, Arabic and English)
- Gained her Masters in Project Management
- Served as a Peacekeeper with the United Nations in Syria and Lebanon
Advisor & Ambassador
Since being medically retired, Matina has campaigned for change for veterans and others in need through numerous honorary, ambassador and advisory roles, including:
- Prime Ministerial Advisory Council
- National Mental Health Forum
- ANZAC Centenary Commission, alongside former Prime Ministers Bob Hawke and Malcolm Fraser
- National Suicide Prevention Commission
- Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project as Ambassador
- Project Thankful as Ambassador
Change Champion
- 2019 – Archibald Prize Bark Portrait Entrant
- 2018 – AFR 100 Women of Influence
- 2017 – Awarded Certified Speaking Professional (International)
- 2016 – Telstra Women's Business Awards Finalist
- 2015 – A CPA Australia 'Top-10 Smart Thinker'
- Her story featured in a high rating, two-part ABC Australian Story and was syndicated globally with FOXTEL's I Survived
- Her memoir, Caught in the Crossfire (Allen & Unwin) a best-seller
- Her incredible life story has been optioned for a global feature film
Matina is a proud mum to busy young girls with husband Clent Jewell, and lives on the Far North Coast of NSW.
Australian War Memorial
Matina's In-Their-Words contribution, now part of a permanent exhibition at the Australian War Memorial (4.24s)
ABC Australian Story Documentary
The Blue Beret – Parts I & II
(52:30s)
Foxtel Documentary
Foxtel ‘I Survived’ Documentary
(15:33s)
Partnerships
Matina is honoured to be a Brand Ambassador for TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES (TFS) who have supported millions of Australians in financing and protecting their vehicles.
Matina and TFS are aligned in their passion and duty for serving the communities they work and live in.
As a UN Peacekeeper in the Middle East, Matina patrolled ‘The Blue Line’ for many months in her TOYOTA LANDCRUISER PRADO.
And Matina is just as appreciative of the safety and comfort of TOYOTA LANDCRUISER PRADO doing the school drop-off and pick-ups today.
With aligned values of respect, passion, quality, innovation, and collaboration, Matina Jewell is proud to be associated with the HOGO BOSS brand.
With sustainability and success inextricably linked, HUGO BOSS has long been Matina’s first choice as the most accessible, fashionable and innovative wardrobe. “HUGO BOSS offers high quality and comfort every time – whether I’m heading to a keynote speech from a long haul flight, or to a coffee meeting from school pick up”.
Quality, innovation, and responsibility form the foundation of HUGO BOSS sustainability strategy, and focus efforts on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
Awards
AFR 100 Women of Influence Awards
Finalist 2018
AFR 100 Women of Influence Awards Finalist 2018
Professional Speakers Australia
Certified Speaking Professional 2017
Professional Speakers Australia Certified Speaking Professional 2017
Telstra Business Women’s Awards
Finalist 2016
Telstra Business Women’s Awards Finalist 2016
CPA Australia ‘Top 10 Smart Thinker’
who shaped 2015
CPA Australia 'Top 10 Thinker' 2015
Honorary roles
Project Thankful
Ambassador
Project Thankful Founding Ambassador
Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project Ambassador
Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project Ambassador
ANZAC Centenary
Commissioner
ANZAC Spirit - ANZAC Centenary Commissioner
AWM Redevelopment
'In Their Words' Contributor
AWM Redevelopment 'In Their Words' Contributor
Recent Activity
Only 32 days till Christmas!
For those peeps who like to be slightly more organised than the mad Christmas eve present scramble; I’m offering 20% off personally signed copies of my book “Caught in the Crossfire”
Go to https://t.co/ihexMlK15u apply the coupon code:
crossfire20
Hope to see you @ one of two events for #PostcardsFromTomorrow online book launches 24/25th Nov
It’s a free event but book proceeds go to Lou’s Place, Sydney’s only daytime drop-in shelter for #women who are victims of #DomesticAbuse
https://t.co/FJDuINTFDj
#OrangetheWorld
This week is #LeadershipWeek & I’m thrilled to partner with the multiple platinum award-winning team @Safetrac to deliver my Leadership in Action online program.
Recognised as the best compliance training provider for the past 10 years in a row.
For more
This is my favourite new quote courtesy of an amazing kindergarten teacher!
Go on, give your brain a kiss, every time you do some challenging thinking.
#matinajewell #thoughtleadership #leadershipinaction #inspirationalkeynote #leadershipspeaker #keynotespeaker #virtualkeynote
Completing my Remembrance Week activities was a few quiet moments of reflection in my home town of Alstonville at the memorial for Private P.J (Paddy) Bugden V.C.
Paddy lost his life in service of his nation and his mates
#LestWeForget
#RemembranceDay #WeRememberThem #veterans
Often leadership opportunities show up & we get to make a choice, whether to step back & wait for someone else to step forward & accept the challenge, or we take that leap of faith ourselves. But we need to practice the skill of stepping forward #suddenleadership #matinajewell
Today I delivered the third session of a series of virtual events for the wonderful team at Chubb Insurance Cornerstone group.
Session focused on planning & communication methods to assist leaders achieve alignment of their vision with their team through effective communication.
During times of crisis it is more important than ever for leaders to communicate with their teams. Particularly if the want to get their people through the event & out the other side as a cohesive unit.
How has your communication with your team and clients changed during COVID?
My fur baby Khiam the cat.
Earlier this year (before we really understood just how challenging 2020 would turn out to be) Khiam was bitten by a brown snake!
He may have used all 9 of his lives in one hit but he somehow survived & is going strong.
You can’t keep a good cat down
When was the last time you let go & took a leap of faith?
It takes courage to push through our own self-limiting beliefs & go beyond our comfort zone to experience something new – something that stretches us to a new level. Cheers to anyone going through a career transition now.
I admire people who are really clear on their purpose.
I know that when I am living purposefully, I feel more meaning in everything I do.
And when I take action around my purpose, I feel fulfilled.
I call this ‘dutiful’; the duty we have to ourselves to live life on purpose.
purposeful + meaningful + actionable = fulfilment
It feels beautiful to live dutiful.
